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Your Guardian Angel is with you throughout your life to help you navigate your way through life more easily and successfully. All we have to do is sit quietly and relax, call upon them and receive the comfort that they bring or the message they have. Their key roles are providing protection and comfort. You can also ask your Guardian Angel for help with anything at all such as learning a new skill, attracting financial abundance, increasing self-esteem and joy, developing psychic/mediumistic abilities, and they will bring the appropriate spiritual helpers to you to work with you from the spiritual planes.

Roles

Protection: The most well-known of the roles of the Guardian Angel is to provide protection when needed. Almost all of us have had that little nudge to take a different route or leave a particular place at a certain time, and this is your Guardian Angel at work keeping you safe. Your Guardian Angel can step in to help keep you out of danger if it is not your time to experience a life-threatening situation or leave this earth but they cannot assist if it is part of your soul plan to have that particular experience. If you regularly call on your Guardian Angel to keep you and your loved ones safe at all times, they can certainly mitigate the effects of an accident or situation but may not be able to prevent it altogether.

On a more mental/emotional level I have also found that the Guardian Angel can shield you from the negativity of others, including psychic attack. You can ask your Guardian Angel, along with Archangel Michael, to cut any cords to negative people and situations in your life, especially those who mean you harm or wish to cause trouble. My own Guardian Angel came into my life very strongly in the early part of the summer this year when I was experiencing a lot of nuisance phone calls. They helped keep my strength up so I could clearly see what action I needed to take rather than collapsing with fear. I could actually feel my Guardian Angel around me at this time and they drew close because I really needed them. I was given to understand that they protect you on all levels (spiritually as well as physically) and was inspired to write this blog at that time.

Comfort: In addition to providing protection, our Guardian Angel can also bring up mental and emotional comfort. There have been a couple of occasions in the past when I have been very upset about something and all of a sudden a wave of perfect peace came over me and washed it all away. You know you don’t need to worry any more and that all will be ok. I was later shown in a vision what had happened here – I saw two extremely tall, white angels suddenly appear around me, at which point the sadness ended. Angel oracle cards are another very good way to receive this kind of emotional support.

Door Keeper: Through various spiritual studies I have discovered one theory that your Guardian Angel isn’t actually a traditional angel at all. Rather this being acts as a door keeper for all those involved in mediumship, clairvoyance, spiritual healing etc, acting as a control for all those who are trying to communicate with you from the other side. Imagine the chaos if lots of spirit entities were trying to communicate all at once! Your Guardian Angel works to keep this in order and, depending upon their own abilities and experience, protects you from lower vibration, mischievous entities or those who would cause harm. As your door keeper, this being assists you to connect with angels, spirit healers or loved ones in spirit and readily brings these through to whenever you put out a call or prayer.

How to Connect with your Guardian Angel

The best way to connect in the early stages of your development is to meditate for around 5 minutes to calm the mind and detach from every day concerns, open your chakras and visualise your energy body filled with pure white light. I then visualise a door opening and a set of 7 white steps leading up to the heavens. Walk up the steps and rest on a white cloud. Call in your Guardian Angel, ask them to draw close around you and give you a touch so that you can recognise their calling sign. This is usually somewhere on the head, shoulder or arm. State what you need and ask for their help. It is best to set aside time each day if possible to sit quietly, open up, call your Guardian Angel to you, feel their calling sign and receive any ideas, thoughts and impressions that come to you. You can also draw an angel oracle card after calling in your angel in this way as this is another way that they can get a message to you.

If you have the space, you may like to create an angel altar in your home. This can be just a small area with an angel statue, a white feather, some crystals (especially angelite or celestite) and your angel oracle cards. This focuses your intent and lets the angels know that you are serious about strengthening your relationship with them.

How Angels Communicate

Angels communicate mainly through emotions in the early stages of your development, bringing you a sense of peace, comfort, joy or love, whatever is needed. They bring healing in this way. As I mentioned above, they have brought me comfort and peace when I’ve been sad, often accompanied by a sudden sense of stillness; other times you will have a feeling that you don’t need to worry any more. If you have asked for guidance, you may not always receive an answer straight away: it may come through later, while you are in the bath, quietly reading or watching TV, when you are relaxed. Guidance can come in the form of thoughts, words, inspirations.

Your Guardian Angel can also bring you an understanding of a situation that was causing concern. You may feel the need to send love and forgiveness to someone who was causing trouble for you. They will help you find the lesson in the experience, which becomes an opportunity to open your heart more and attract more love and light into your own being.

You should also look out for signs, ‘coincidences’ and synchronicities which often lead you to the next step you need to take or you may meet a person who can help you. If something is right for you, it will feel right inside, such as a feeling of excitement or anticipation. Follow these intuitions and the angels will guide you to the right opportunities to manifest what you desire.

Angelic Therapies

If you would like to make your own connection to your Guardian Angel, why not try one of my Angel Therapy sessions where I take you on a guided journey to the angelic realms for healing and guidance?

If you prefer more of a hands-on healing session, you might like to try an Angelic Reiki treatment. This type of Reiki is infused with angelic energy and is very good for emotional healing and helping you to move forward in life.

Angel Therapy and Angelic Reiki are both available for £30 and both include a short angel card reading.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher, Meditation Teacher, Holistic Therapist and Tarot Consultant based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. Helen offers several healing treatments such as Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Faery Reiki, Angel Therapy, Fairy Blessing Guided Journey and Crystal Chakra Balancing; holistic therapies including Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Hopi Ear Candles & Facials; as well as Usui Reiki and Faery Reiki training courses and tarot readings. She has been on the spiritual path for 18 years and has extensive knowledge of healing and the healing journey. For further information about her Reiki courses, therapies and workshops, please visit her website http://helenshortland.comorvisit and‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics & Healing.

Mental health issues now affect a significant percentage of the population, with anxiety and depression being the most common. From a personal perspective I always notice my anxiety levels go high when my subconscious is trying to tell me something I don’t really want to acknowledge. Anxiety flares up at times when I feel out of control of my life and don’t know how to deal with something. My anxiety always seems to be worse when I don’t talk about it or asks for help.

There are many what I call ‘surface issues’ which can cause an increase in anxiety. Examples include a brewing relationship problem that needs addressing, a deep desire to change career, business and money worries, inability to make progress in a particular area, buying a house and going through legal proceedings. Wherever there is an ending but no clear sign of a new beginning, uncertainty and insecurity create a breeding ground for anxiety. There are also deeper causes such as old emotional issues from the past that have not been resolved. You may also have had a serious health concern or deeply personal loss in the past, the worry from which has become habitual, especially when the issue was long term. The fear and emotions around this time need to be released now that it is passed so that you can feel safe again.

Problems arise when we suppress something rather than acknowledge and address it. We hold ourselves tense in order to hold the suppressed emotion inside. When we relax properly, the tension releases and the suppressed emotion can bubble up to the surface. I’m sure this is why many people, subconsciously, are afraid to relax. The holding onto this tension can cause many physical health conditions that we term symptoms of anxiety. These include high blood pressure, headaches, back, neck and shoulder pain, poor sleep patterns, poor digestion, fatigue and irritability.

Early Trauma

When trauma was encountered in a person’s early years, by the time they reach adulthood and middle age, it has become so deeply embedded in their subconscious mind that they may even have forgotten the original experience. The mind has a tendency to blot out bad memories as a form of protection. I have also heard that if someone goes through a deeply traumatic experience and the body is flooded with the fight or flight hormone adrenalin, we are literally prevented from absorbing the experience and there is literally no memory to recover. However, in most cases, whatever lies in the subconscious mind, known or unknown, affects our behaviour, emotions and outlook on life, often manifesting as symptoms of anxiety.

Although many of the triggers for anxiety appear to be present day, short term issues, for people suffering with constant anxiety the roots lie in deep-seated trauma of the past, for example abuse, bullying, poor parenting, separation and bereavement among others. If this trauma is not dealt with fully and appropriately at the time, it then becomes the root cause of other mental health conditions such as depression, OCD, anorexia, bulimia, paranoia, personality disorders, PTSD, bipolar etc. I have also noticed in many cases that poor mental health leads to poor physical health including back pain, chest pain and heart conditions from tension stored in the body.

Self Help for Anxiety

Please note that I make no attempt to suggest that these ideas can heal serious mental health conditions where only medication can help. However they may help those suffering with anxiety to cope a little better.

Reiki healing can restore calm and balance, release tension and trauma stored in the chakras and subconscious mind. A series of treatments are recommended to treat long term conditions. When I give Reiki treatments to the service users of the Improving Lives charity, they enjoy the way their mind manages to shut off negative thoughts while they are having Reiki, bringing them much needed peace and calm.

A regular meditation practice to help you detach from negative, intrusive thoughts and emotions.

A tarot reading asking for advice on a specific issue causing you concern.

A Crystal Healing/Chakra Balancing treatment using crystals to relieve anxiety. I specifically recommend:-

Aquamarine for stress and grief.

Sodalite and lapis lazuli for high blood pressure.

Citrine to relieve worry and address digestive problems.

Rose quartz for emotional healing, self-love, and to promote forgiveness.

And finally, one of the best antedotes of all, love and laughter with a great bunch of friends and a loving partner!

Notes:

Reiki healing treatments £33 for full hour or £18 for half hour session.

Crystal Chakra Balancing treatment £25.

Tarot readings £25 for 40 mins, £15 for 20 mins.

I am running a Meditation for Health & Wellbeing workshop on Sat 13th October at 15 Wheeler Gate, Nottingham, 10.30am-1pm. This will look at a variety of meditation techniques for you to practice to see which works best for you.

I have a small supply of the leaflet for the Talking Therapies self-referral counselling service in Nottingham. If anyone would like one, please contact me.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher, Meditation Teacher, Holistic Therapist and Tarot Consultant based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. Helen offers several healing treatments such as Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Faery Reiki, Angel Therapy, Fairy Blessing Guided Journey and Crystal Chakra Balancing; holistic therapies including Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Hopi Ear Candles & Facials; as well as Usui Reiki and Faery Reiki training courses and tarot readings. She has been on the spiritual path for 18 years and has extensive knowledge of healing and the healing journey. For further information about her Reiki courses, therapies and workshops, please visit her website http://helenshortland.comorvisit and‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics, Healing & Tarot.

Clients can experience various physical and emotional reactions both during and after a Reiki healing session. For those of you who are Reiki practitioners, it is necessary to be aware of this and be able to reassure the client that it is all perfectly normal.

During Treatment

During treatment it is common to see twitches and jerks in the client’s body. These are usually seen in the legs and feet and are caused by the healing energy flowing through the body’s meridians/energy channels and seeking to clear blockages as it goes. You can just be holding someone’s head and see the feet twitch. More rarely you can see whole body jerks, shaking or the client almost sitting up during treatment. This happens when the healing energy is impeded by major blocks as it flows through the body. These blocks are caused by past trauma or abuse. The energy is meeting resistance caused by deeply suppressed pain/trauma which the subconscious mind does not want to release. The mind will always try to protect itself and therefore may not be ready to address underlying issues.

Other physical reactions during a treatment include warmth, heat, coolness or coldness in various parts of the body, as well as tingles in the fingers and toes. Warmth/heat tends to be experienced in areas that require healing. Coolness usually indicates emotional healing is taking place and chills down the spine result from energy shifts having taken place. Many clients have a tingly, pins and needles type feeling in the fingers and/or toes – this just means that any blocked or stagnated energy is trying to flow out and be released as the client receives higher frequency healing energy during treatment. Just advise the client to flick their fingers and wiggle their toes to release it.

Sometimes a client may experience a twinge of pain in an area of illness or injury. This is only temporary and is the body’s way of condensing pain before it is released.

Similarly a client may experience an emotional release during treatment. This happens when they have been bottling up painful emotions which the healing energy is helping them to release. This happens particularly with people who have gone through a bereavement, relationship break-up or some other form of loss. It can be very disconcerting for the new healer to witness a client crying during treatment and your first reaction is to wonder what’s gone wrong! However you do need to let them release and process what is coming up from their subconscious. Just be supportive with a box of tissues and reassure them that it is all ok and will soon pass. Every time that has happened during my own treatments, the client has always felt much better for having released their hurt/pain. In fact it is necessary that they acknowledge and release it as part of their healing. The negative energy imprint of emotional pain becomes stored in the energy body, preventing a person’s personal energy from flowing at its correct vibration, which can ultimately lead to dis-ease and physical ailments. Clearing this pain and its associated energy imprint allows the person’s life force energy to flow unhindered once more with the energy body vibrating at the correct frequency.

After Treatment

It is normal for a client to feel tired, thirsty or hungry after a Reiki treatment. Some people do not get enough sleep, do not drink enough water or may not have been eating properly, so these reactions are simply the body’s way of telling us what we need to do in order to restore balance. Feeling tired is the most common after-effect and most people will have a good night’s sleep after their treatment as the body does most of its healing while sleeping. Conversely some clients will feel more energised, lighter and uplifted afterwards as if a weight has been taken off them.

Not all, but some, clients will experience a strong immune system reaction following treatment. Healing reactions can include short-term cold and flu-like symptoms, headaches, skin rashes and increased urination. This happens when toxins are being cleared out of the body and, once the symptoms have passed, the benefits are usually long-lasting. Not every client will experience a strong reaction but, if this happens, just assure them that they will feel much better afterwards. If the person is attuned to Reiki themselves, advise them to give themselves more Reiki self-healing to speed the release of toxins.

Some people may have emotional healing reactions in the few days following treatment. Old negative thoughts, emotions and memories can resurface and play on the mind. Again these are just old issues coming up from the subconscious to the conscious mind to be released. This can create anxiety in some people but the client now has the opportunity to let them go once and for all. If this happens to you, take a deep breath and let the images and thoughts flow through you and out of you, like watching a movie of someone else on a screen. Continue for as long as it takes as it will be worthwhile in the end.

After Thought

It is also worth noting here as a footnote that most clients will not experience any of the above reactions and will find the whole treatment very relaxing, peaceful and pleasant. When healers are more experienced, they tend to channel higher, finer energy vibrations which result in less processing on the part of the client. It is best for the client to simply relax into the process and trust that whatever happens is for their highest and greatest good.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher, Meditation Teacher, Holistic Therapist and Tarot Consultant based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. Helen offers several healing treatments such as Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Faery Reiki, Angel Therapy, Fairy Blessing Guided Journey and Crystal Chakra Balancing; holistic therapies including Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Hopi Ear Candles & Facials; as well as Usui Reiki and Faery Reiki training courses and tarot readings. She has been on the spiritual path for 18 years and has extensive knowledge of healing and the healing journey. For further information about her Reiki courses, therapies and workshops, please visit her website http://helenshortland.comorvisit and‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics & Healing.

Energy flows in and out of the chakras when they are functioning correctly but when they become clogged by negative emotions, wells of stagnant energy are created at the rear of the chakra which impede the flow of energy to the physical body. This causes weakness in the surrounding area which eventually leads to imbalance, dis-ease and illness. The rear aspect of the chakras is said to relate to our will, while the front of the chakras reflect the feeling or emotional aspect of the chakra. When the will aspect is blocked, the energy is turned inwards on ourselves or becomes distorted. Blocked will results in reduced vitality, drive and enthusiasm for life.

Each of the chakras is associated with different wells of negative energy:-

Rear of 3rd Eye Chakra – the Well of Negative Thoughts

Negative thoughts, perceptions and bad memories are stored here. This can result in a person having no direction, focus or ability to forward plan. It can create lack of vision in every respect, with no sense of direction (literally and metaphorically) and an inability to see the way ahead clearly. It can lead to a closed mind which resists new things.

Rear of Throat Chakra – the Well of Blocked Expression

This creates communication problems and an inability to express yourself clearly. This well can become blocked when people are living a lie or having to keep a secret. Neck problems are said to be caused by a lack of flexibility and by a build-up of tension in this chakra. Blockages here can result in a person feeling stuck and finding it difficult to move forward in life.

Rear of Heart Chakra – the Well of Grief

Bottled up/repressed sadness and grief builds up here if you don’t allow yourself to feel and release these emotions. This can result from bereavement or any kind of loss. Blockages here can contribute to depression and heart problems.

Rear of Solar Plexus Chakra – the Well of Negative Emotions

Lack of self-worth, low self-respect, low self-belief, low level of personal power and poor self-confidence are all stored here. These result from painful life experiences and hold a person back from achieving their true potential in life.

Rear of Sacral Chakra – the Well of Blocked Creativity

This reflects an inability to go with the flow in life and can contribute to depression. Painful emotional experiences from our interactions with others in the past are stored here. On a physical level blockages here can lead to weakness in the lower back.

Releasing Blocks with Reiki

Reiki works to release these blocks by enabling healing energy to flow to release them. Because these rear chakras can so easily become blocked, I’ve always believed it is necessary to treat both the front and back of the body during treatment. If you are doing a seated treatment of course, you can work on both front and rear aspects of a chakra at the same time.

Once the energetic root of a problem (ie. the underlying mental/emotional condition) is healed, any accompanying physical symptoms associated with the chakra will clear up. During or shortly after the session the client may find painful emotions and/or negative thoughts coming up to be released; in other words they can be brought fully into your conscious awareness to be experienced and then released. This releasing process is only temporary and will not last long. At other times processing can occur on an unconscious level in your dreams which may be heightened and more meaningful for a short time.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. Helen offers several healing treatments such as Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Faery Reiki, Angel Therapy, Fairy Blessing Guided Journey and Crystal Chakra Balancing; holistic therapies including Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Hopi Ear Candles & Facials; as well as Usui Reiki and Faery Reiki training courses and tarot readings. She has been on the spiritual path for 18 years and has extensive knowledge of healing and the healing journey. For further information about her Reiki courses, therapies and workshops, please visit her website http://helenshortland.comorvisit and‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics & Healing.

A few months ago one of my students raised an important issue concerning myths around getting ill when you have been attuned to Reiki. She had been told that one you are attuned to Reiki, you should never get ill again and, if you do, you haven’t been attuned properly in the first place. I would like to stress that this is totally false information!

The majority of people have long term health conditions when they come to be attuned to Reiki and these can take time to clear. Clients who have Reiki treatments over a period of time find that the initial treatment feels like a lifting of heaviness they have been carrying around with them. Then the most recent conditions are dealt with first, after which the healing works backwards addressing underlying mental/emotional issues like peeling away the layers of an onion till you get to the root cause underneath.

The truth is we all have various mental/emotional issues (such as low self-worth, anxiety, fear, grief etc) which can contribute to dis-ease and illness, and we all have a genetic disposition towards certain illnesses. What Reiki provides is a means of coping better with whatever life throws at you. Life is a learning experience which contributes to the growth of our soul. Frankly if you had no issues and no ailments, you wouldn’t need to be here on Earth!

It has been noted that Dr Usui, the founder of the Usui Reiki system, died in his 60s after suffering a stroke and it does indeed seem unfair that someone who could channel such amazing healing energy can still be struck down at a relatively young age with a serious illness. Despite our best efforts, healing cannot prevent death. We all die at our allotted time, when our work is done.

Illness as a Learning Experience

Although a Reiki attunement can lift a negative karmic burden from some students and can sometimes be a complete healing in itself, this does not happen for everyone and it is more likely that you will still have to heal your own issues yourself through regular self-treatment. Physical illness can be a great teacher if we are able to see the lessons in the challenge and I believe that is why our illnesses are not just simply taken away from us during the attunement process. The attunement process does however fill the student’s energy body with a much greater amount of spiritual energy which the higher self of the student uses in whichever way it deems best.

Illness can highlight underlying mental/emotional issues you need to work on. For example persistent colds mean your immune system needs boosting; shoulder and upper back pain can indicate a person is shouldering or carrying too great a burden or too much responsibility; neck pain can indicate a need to be more flexible; and urinary infections can indicate feeling pissed off with life! Louise L Hay has written many books about the mental/emotional causes of illness and dis-ease if you would like to read further into this subject.

In addition, certain emotions seem to be naturally stored in certain parts of the body. For example anger is stored in the liver, grief in the lungs, worry in the stomach, stress in the brain and fear in the kidneys. You can focus your self-healing treatments in the appropriate area if you feel you may be hanging onto any of these emotions.

Benefits of Reiki

Reiki can indeed boost your immune system, giving you greater resistance to colds, viruses etc and speed the healing process if you do catch them. However you do need to give yourself regular self-treatment in order to stay as healthy as possible. And when you feel you have arrived at a place of perfect health and wellbeing you still need to maintain this, again through regular self-treatment and healthy lifestyle.

While Reiki may not bring about miracles, it can definitely boost your health and wellbeing. It can contribute significantly towards recovery from ailments/illnesses, speed the healing process and heal and release underlying mental/emotional conditions. It is best to see Reiki as a tool for helping you reach the best state of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing possible for you. It you use it regularly you can experience a state of balance and harmony that you wouldn’t otherwise have reached.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. Helen offers several healing treatments such as Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Faery Reiki, Angel Therapy, Fairy Blessing Guided Journey and Crystal Chakra Balancing; holistic therapies including Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Hopi Ear Candles & Facials; as well as Usui Reiki and Faery Reiki training courses and tarot readings. She has been on the spiritual path for 18 years and has extensive knowledge of healing and the healing journey. For further information about her Reiki courses, therapies and workshops, please visit her website http://helenshortland.comorvisit and‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics & Healing.

Angelic Reiki is said to be overseen and gifted to Earth by Archangel Metatron. Metatron oversees the Akashic Records – a record of our lifetimes on Earth including what we have learnt and what we need to work on. This implies that our soul seeks experiences on earth in order to grow and evolve, moving on to the next lesson once a particular one is learnt. Linked in with this, of course, is a belief that the soul is eternal and incarnates over and over again in many successive lifetimes. We tend to incarnate with the same group of people time after time, swapping roles and providing the best learning opportunities. You may think there are people in your life that you would never have chosen to reincarnate with but these decisions are taken at a much higher level than our minds can generally understand. It is said that the most challenging people in your life are actually your greatest teachers.

Even if you don’t believe in the idea of past lives, you can maybe accept that there are certain karmic patterns at play in your life that keep recurring. Each time the pattern arises is an opportunity for you to respond in a different way, to learn and heal. These karmic patterns are like energy imprints, or stories, on our soul which affect us positively or negatively. Some can represent our strengths; others weaknesses that we need to work on in this lifetime. In an Angelic Reiki session I often pick up themes to release rather than a particular past life. These can include grief, anger, resentment, low self-worth and feeling a lack of love.

In Angelic Reiki I ask the angels to identify a past life that has left a negative energy imprint on the soul and to release its associated karmic pattern. There is no regression, re-living or processing required on the client’s part. Recurrent themes can be identified which are affecting present behaviour and beliefs. Bringing something into conscious awareness bring s you choice. Often just acknowledging these themes can be enough to break a pattern or at least the hold it has over you. Asking the angels to release it during the healing session is usually all that is required.

Client Experiences

Client #1 had a history of repressed emotions and sexual feelings due to her upbringing and a history of abusive relationships with patriarchal men. During the first session there was lots of releasing from the sacral chakra and clearing at the solar plexus and root. When I asked the angels to perform past life healing I had an image of a preacher dressed in black, Wesleyan style clothes uttering the words “sins of the flesh”. This pattern of repression had been carried over from this past life and involved all the people in her current upbringing as they had once more incarnated together. During the session the client felt great forgiveness and love for her sister (who she had not seen in a long while after their relationship broke down) and felt ready to contact her. She had awareness concerning her current marriage and saw herself standing in her own power with her husband, with no more imbalance of power. During the session I asked the angels to release this pattern of repression and bring her a way to take back her own power. After the session she had a long talk with her husband and they are now a lot closer. She also arranged to meet her sister. Her husband has noticed a difference in her and she definitely has more energy.

In the second session I had a past life image of the client living a nomadic life where she learnt self-reliance but found it very hard to trust others. In this life she has attracted men who have proved her right in terms of ‘shouldn’t be trusted’. Her challenge in this life is to open up and learn to trust more. Her relationship with her husband continued to improve. There is now no more past life clearing to do; there are just self-worth issues to clear before she can move fully into the work connected to her life purpose.

Client #2 had had anxiety since the birth of her first child 10 years earlier, along with low self-esteem from childhood and possibly, she thought, from a past life. She admitted to being insecure and jealous in her relationships. Her mum left when she was a baby so she grew up with her dad and siblings. Her siblings often ran away in their teens. The client had suffered additional traumatic events of her own in her teens and suppressed her painful emotions with alcohol.

During our session I picked up themes of loss and abandonment within the family/soul group. In a past life her family had lost my client in sudden traumatic circumstances. I had an image of a fast-flowing river and knew she was young. Interestingly we discovered later that the client was also seeing water at this point! The theme of loss had been carried over into this life with her family members abandoning her so that she is the one who has to deal with loss in this life. At the end of the session the client reported that she had had her own vision: she saw a man in prison on an island who killed himself. He had done something bad and wanted to say sorry for what he had done.

Client #3 had a difficult relationship with her father and male boss. Her mum, who she was very close to, had died 5 years previously. In early sessions my client had images of her mum and a strong sense of her mum being with her during the treatment. I picked up issues of trust and betrayal within the soul group so asked the angels to cut negative cords to family members to help my client let go of past hurts.

More recently this client wanted to release blocks around her new healing career. She had always felt she had had a past life during which she was persecuted for being a witch for using her healing gifts, which she certainly may well have. However in the session I saw a past life as a nun who believed that healing was wrong as it was not approved by her church. This was the past life that needed releasing the most and which was holding her back from a new healing career in this life. Interestingly the client saw an image of a nun’s habit towards the end of the treatment!

Client #4 had suffered anxiety since the menopause and long term depression. She felt she was held back in life generally by her depression, anxiety and fear. In our session I saw past life images of both poverty and of a life as a queen where she enjoyed her status. In this life she is learning to love herself for who she is, not for what she has or is accorded to her status.

Angelic Reiki

I’m sure you will agree that Angelic Reiki can provide some fascinating insights into past lives, karmic patterns or aspects of your psyche, however you prefer to think of it. If you would like to try this wonderful healing treatment yourself, please contact me on 07748 591690 or email me at helenshortland@live.co.uk. The treatment costs £30 and consists of a consultation, short angel card reading and a half hour healing session. Please allow a good hour.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. Helen offers several healing treatments such as Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Faery Reiki, Angel Therapy, Fairy Blessing Guided Journey and Crystal Chakra Balancing; holistic therapies including Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Hopi Ear Candles & Facials; as well as Usui Reiki and Faery Reiki training courses and tarot readings. She has been on the spiritual path for 18 years and has extensive knowledge of healing and the healing journey. For further information about her Reiki courses, therapies and workshops, please visit her website http://helenshortland.comorvisit and‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics & Healing.

Reiki and crystal healing are two separate healing modalities which are being brought together in one treatment more and more often nowadays. Both are based on energy, or vibration, and are therefore very complementary and compatible. While Reiki is the channelling of universal life force energy, crystals grow in rocks in the ground and are filled with life force energy. Crystals have their own individual crystalline structure and each chemical compound in the crystal gives it both its physical and metaphysical properties. Metaphysical properties usually correspond with colour and shape, for example heart chakra crystals are usually green and pink, third eye crystals are violet/purple.

Crystals vibrate at a certain frequency based on their physical chemical structure and on their own subtle energy or life force. When we carry crystals with us or lay them on various parts of the body, the vibrations of the crystals are assimilated by and transferred to the user/wearer, bringing about healing, balance or new, greater awareness. Everyone and everything is made up of energy (vibration). During crystal healing we absorb and are affected by the energy of the crystals.

Reiki and crystals work so well together because they each amplify the energy of the other. Reiki can amplify a crystal’s particular physical or metaphysical properties further, making it more powerful. This is why so many people nowadays charge their crystals with Reiki healing energy.

Using Crystals

Cleansing: Crystals should be cleansed before they are programmed. You can cleanse a crystal by raising its vibration using techniques that remove unwanted energy. This banishes all unwanted programs, thoughts and intentions from the crystal without removing its unique healing powers. There are many methods for cleansing crystals, for example holding them under running water; passing them through incense smoke or smudging them in the smoke of a cleansing herb; ringing tingsha bells over them or using the sound of a Tibetan singing bowl; burying them in sand, earth or salt; passing them through a candle flame (above it!); leaving them on a windowsill in moonlight or sunlight for at least an hour. You can also cleanse tumblestones by placing them on a large generator crystal such as clear quartz, amethyst or citrine. Please note however that salt can be too harsh for some crystals and water is not suitable for water soluble crystals such as selenite, turquoise and chrysocolla.

Programming: Hold your crystal in one or both hands and hold your program or specific intention clearly in mind. Using your will imagine projecting that program into the crystal. Your program can be general, such as programming a crystal to manifest all the healing properties it has, or to channel Reiki, putting all the Reiki symbols into the stone.

Programs can also be more specific such as ‘I program you to help me with my meditations for the highest good’. An amethyst crystal would work well for this. Other examples are using rose quartz to heal heart issues (physical or emotional), haematite to ground your ideas and bring focus, turquoise to overcome panic attacks, fluorite to boost concentration and aid learning, citrine to boost confidence. You will find if you look in crystal books that each crystal can supposedly help with a variety of things, so programming is a way for you to fine tune what you want the crystal to specifically do for you.

Using Reiki and Crystals in a Treatment

Crystals are usually laid on the body over the chakras or wherever else they are needed. The choice of crystal is usually linked to the colour of the chakra to boost/strengthen the energy of the chakra. This is not a hard and fast rule however as choosing crystals is often an art of following guidance.

In my Crystal Chakra Balancing sessions I dowse crystals first, choosing one to balance each chakra. I also ask the client to select any that they are particularly drawn to. I often place a smoky quartz over areas of pain as this stone is excellent for drawing out and absorbing all kinds of negative energy. Crystals are placed on chakras and anywhere else on the body or in the aura if needed. I scan the body and give Reiki to areas of imbalance and boost weak chakras where necessary. Plenty of grounding is given at the end.

Other Ways to Use Crystals

In the Reiki Master Healer course students are taught how to create crystal grids for healing others or themselves and how to set up a grid to help manifest their own goals. Grids are a means of aligning crystals to intensify and magnify energy for healing or manifestation. The crystals are programmed with a specific intent, such as to bring a person healing, and the grid is left in place for as long as is deemed necessary. The grid can be energised with just a few additional minutes of Reiki each day.

Perhaps the simplest way to use crystals is to give a person a Reiki programmed crystal to carry with them in their pocket. This focuses their intent upon the programme, such as bringing about healing or enhancing psychic ability, whenever they touch or think of the crystal.

Client Experiences

Client #1 was feeling tired and generally out of balance. She is diabetic, was drinking too much and her skin was not healing well. At her first session aquamarine was selected for her throat chakra. Afterwards she was able to talk about her grief and she felt more grounded afterwards. After the first session she began drinking less. She discovered that cheese and alcohol upset her liver; in fact she couldn’t keep the alcohol down when she had a one-off binge with friends but felt very cleansed afterwards. She craved cucumber, avocadoes and strawberries. By the third session her drinking had been reduced considerably, just limited to a couple of glasses on Friday and Saturday nights. A lot of heaviness (responsibilities) had been lifted from her shoulders. The fourth session was very peaceful. She was becoming more sensitive and was inspired to give herself positive affirmations during the treatment. After sessions 5 and 6 her blood pressure and blood sugar levels were all fine and stable and she felt greater clarity. When she came for her 7th session, she reported recent joint pain, which was eased considerably with a smoky quartz crystal.

Client #2 has a typically busy, stressful life, combining working full time and looking after two young children. She has just had a couple of sessions so far and finds the Crystal Chakra Balancing treatment more powerful and more colourful than her usual Reiki sessions, seeing a whole variety of different colours – red, orange, turquoise white, green, purple. She described the treatment as shorter but more intense than Reiki on its own and relaxed very well during the treatment.

Notes

If you would like to try the Crystal Chakra Balancing treatment yourself, please contact me on 07748 591690 or email me at helenshortland@live.co.uk. The price is £25 and you should allow 45 mins. This is a half hr treatment plus additional time for consultation and selecting crystals.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. Helen offers several healing treatments such as Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Faery Reiki, Angel Therapy, Fairy Blessing Guided Journey and Crystal Chakra Balancing; holistic therapies including Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Hopi Ear Candles & Facials; as well as Usui Reiki and Faery Reiki training courses and psychic tarot readings. She has been on the spiritual path for 18 years and has extensive knowledge of healing and the healing journey. For further information about her Reiki courses, therapies and workshops, please visit her website http://helenshortland.comorvisit and‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics & Healing.